“A step in the right direction with an after-credit sequence you do not want to miss.”
Everyone’s favourite copper-topped doll is back for more murder and hijinks. When a strange package arrives at Nica’s door, she gladly signs for it and takes it into the house. What’s in the box? That’s right: Chucky, and this time he’s got motives. What is surprising about Curse of Chucky is its tone. It is slightly darker than its two predecessors, and the doll itself looks menacing once again. The problem is, though, after the jocular transvestism of Seed of Chucky, it’s difficult to take the franchise seriously. Brad Dourif does a fine job in voicing the murderous, little bastard, and Fiona Dourif (Seed of Brad) is fantastic as the wheelchair-bound Nica. Curse of Chucky is a step in the right direction for the franchise; plenty of fun, with an after-credit sequence you do not want to miss.
ADAM MILLARD
Second opinions
It’s been almost a decade since we last saw The Lakeshore Strangler on the big screen. Yet spirits and anticipation were high for Curse of Chucky not least because of the pre-film publicity which promised a much darker horror than the comedy fest which Chucky has turned into in recent(ish) outings. With a further promise that Curse of Chucky would resume where Child’s Play 3 left off expectations were relatively high.
Yet as the plot developed – and we use both plot and developed loosely, if you’re here for great characterisation and an innovative story leave now – it became increasingly apparent that Curse of Chucky was unintentionally one of the most hilarious films in the franchise. Everything you’d expect from a bad nineties movie is here: awkward flirting, a lesbian side story for no reason whatsoever, an amusingly poor script and plot holes galore.
Despite all of its shortcomings Curse of Chucky actually works assuming you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud nostalgic horror to watch with mates and a few beers. On top of this Curse of Chucky actually does a rather good job of neatly tying together the entire Child’s Play series and the events of the past twenty years. The second half is by far the better as we get to hear a handful of one liners from Brad Dourif who is the voice of Chucky once again. Credit must also be given to his daughter Fiona who plays wheelchair-bound heroine, Nica.
Curse of Chucky is a bit of an oddball. It will entertain you for all the wrong reasons. If you’re a hardcore fan of the Chucky series it’s worth renting, just don’t expect anything more than one-dimensional thrills.
MICHAEL WILSON
Pretty much the only ‘old school’ movie in the festival, and extremely welcome after the less-than-inspiring The Dead 2: India, which was shown before it. Don Mancini’s Chucky film dispenses with the outright silliness of Bride and Seed and delivers a good old fashioned horror film set in a creepy old house and with plenty of good murders. Brad Dourif is back, both in voice and on screen in flashbacks, and his daughter Fiona is excellent as the put upon heroine. Loads of fun, with more endings than The Lord of the Rings and a post-credits coda you have to hang around to see.
JOHN LLEWELLYN PROBERT
Director: Don Mancini
Writer: Don Mancini
Starring: Danielle Bisutti, Brad Dourif, Alex Vincent, Fiona Dourif
Certificate: 18
Running time: 92 minutes
FrightFest Screening: 22 August 2013
DVD release date: 21 October 2013
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